A is for Aberration
by dizzygirl464
Summary: Set after Aiden's death. How will the team cope now she's gone? Danny's in self destruct mode, Mac and Stella are hiding something, and what big secret is surrounding the new girl from Montana? Slightly AU, explained in fic. Established SMacked, later DL
1. Self Destruction and Secrets

**Please read!!!!**

**_Okay, so people, to begin with, I have an apology to make. I know that too many of my stories have contained about two chapters, and then they just stop. No explanation, no "on hiatus", nothing. I think the main reason for this is because my muse, my idea just dissapears, and I find it very hard to continue when this happens. It is my full intention to continue all of my uncompleted stories, but I just need time, and to think over my ideas. _**

**_This is going to the start story of a series - I'm estimating each story will contain approx. 5-7 chapters each -maybe more, maybe less. Each story will be based on a letter of the alphabet - Starting with A, down to Z. So please, read and enjoy!!_**

**_(Slightly AU -set after Aiden's death, but Jessica Angell is an existing character!!!)_**

* * *

"You okay Flack, you're looking a little tired." Danny's voice easily travelled across the parking lot. He was soon stood by Flack, holding out his ID for the crime scene police to check.

"This is my third dead body in 12 hours. I've been working since 5 am yesterday morning, with only two coffees. I'm missing my girlfriend, who, by chance, is probably fast asleep in bed at the moment, and now I'm being harassed by a know-it-all CSI." Flack replied, frowning slightly. Danny's voice held no hint of teasing, or their usual banter.

"You'll be alrite. You'll be back with Jess in no time at all," and with that, Danny left him, leaving Flack to stare after him, and worried frown creasing his forehead.

"How about you Mac, everything okay?

Mac didn't look up, but nodded his recognition of Danny's question. He remained silent for a few seconds before standing up slowly. "Just been a long day Danny," he told the younger man, pulling his sleeve up to examine his watch. "Only half an hour to go," he murmured.

"Sorry, Mac?"

"Nothing, dont worry. Uh, all we need now is crime scene photos - you can deal with that Danny," the last sentence wasn't spoken as a question, more as a statement. He collected his kit and left the scene. Danny could just make out him pulling a phone from his pocket before turning the corner.

"Something going on with Mac, Flack?" Danny questioned his colleague and friend, while crouched down, considering the best angle to take a picture of a wallet.

"He's been acting kinda' odd all day. But then, who hasn't? I mean, after Aide-" he couldn't stop his comment in time. He haltered on the words, before kicking himself inwardly. Only three months had passed since Aiden'd confirmed death, but it had seemed like a lifetime - for everyone. "Anyway, I hear we're getting the newbie pretty soon. Some pretty young thing from Montana ..."

Danny remained silent, and Flack realized he was only digging himself deeper. "I'm going to follow a lead .. some guy on the opposite apartment thought he saw something," and he left, before Danny could comment.

* * *

"Adam, I'm going to have to go - my shifts over. You going to be okay here?" Stella asked as she pulled herself up from the computer screen.

"DNA is what I'm most confident in, Stella," Adam smiled nervously. "I'm sure I'll be fine. Have a nice evening," he called as she left. His eyes glanced back at the computer screen when an impatient bleep alerted him it had a found a match.

_Ricky Brewers, previous for 2 DUI's, assault with a deadly weapon ..._

Adam's eyes widened. They had definitely found their perp. "Mac!" he called, scrambling to get up from his chair as he saw his boss stride past the glass window. "Mac, I got a match on the DNA from the hit and run. A guy named Rick-" Adam was stopped short by Mac's impatient had in the air.

"Adam, I'm sorry, but I really do have to go. Give the information to Danny - he'll bring the guy in. Thank you for your help," and without a goodbye, or an explanation, he had turned on his heel and left.

"Guess I'll go find Danny then," Adam murmured.

* * *

"Mac, you are so very nearly late," Stella smiled as he took a seat on her left. His hand was twisting his wedding band around his finger, a habit he always took up when he was nervous. Stella smiled endearingly and intwined her fingers with his.

"Bonasera?" a nurse appeared by the reception desk, clipboard in hand.

"That's us," Stella smiled, pulling Mac to his feet. They entered the room, and Stella's eyes roamed around it, taking it the posters on the wall with amazement. Her hand gently rubbed her stomach, wondering what her own child looked like right now.

"If you would like to lie down and lift you top up to your highest ribs," the nurse told her, in a soft tone. Stella did as she was told, and shivered as the cold gel was applied to her ever-so slightly rounded stomach. "Now, are you ready to see your baby?" she asked, smiling at the couple.

Stella met Mac's eye, both glinting with tears. Neither had thought this day would come, Mac especially. "I think we are," Stella replied.

The nurse flicked a switch on the monitor and it groaned to life. A grey and white, flickering image filled the screen. "Here's his head, if I just move it down a bit ... there you. That's his spine, just there, and a hand .." the nurses voice continued, and Mac and Stella just stared at the screen in utter amazement.

* * *

"You took your time coming home, Mr," Jess smiled teasingly at her worn out boyfriend. She was stood by the stove, and the smell of pancakes filled the air. "Thought you'd like a nice breakfast seeing as you left yesterday morning after eating dried crackers-" She was stopped short as Flack pressed his lips to those of his girlfriends.

"I love you," he whispered, before turning to the pancakes. "Now ... when're they going to be ready?"

Jess laughed, opening the fridge door. "When you can be bothered to set the table," came her quick reply. "Now, I thought ... y'know, after everything, like Aiden," her voice lowered slightly - none of those that new her liked saying her name now, "you might invite Danny over for a Sunday Dinner?"

"Sure, thats a nice idea, Jess. I'll call in on him tomorrow. You wanna' come?"

"I think it'll be better just you," she replied, turning away.

* * *

"Danny, open the damn door! It's freezing out here - I've been knocking for the last 10 minutes. I know you're in there."

Finally, Flacks impatience got the better of him. He nudged at the door and it swung open. "Remind me to tell him to get that fixed," he muttered under his breath before striding through the door. It was his instinct to walk straight back out. Disgusting odours hit him from all around - old food, drink, unwashed clothes. And Danny, passed out on the couch.

"Danny, man. Danny!"

"Go 'way. Some of us are try'na sleep here," Danny moaned, his voice hoarse from not using it. Flack snapped. Striding over to the kitchen he filled a glass with cold water, before promptly tipping it over Danny's sleeping form.

The form, then jumped up, cursing, insluting Flack's mother and moaning. "What the bloody hell did you do that for?!"

"Dan, I know you're missing Aiden, we all are, but sort yourself out! How long is it since you had a shower, a shave, a proper meal, and decent nights sleep? Hey? You're coming to stay with me and Jess, and you are going to stop the drinking!" Flack shouted, kicking over empty cans of beer, lager and others. "Sort yourself out, or I will."

**Preview - Will Flack be able to help Danny sort himself out? Will Mac and Stella tell anyone about the baby? And who is the new Detective?**


	2. A New Detective?

**Okay guys, I promised you a complete story so here goes chapter 2! Hope you enjoy ...**

"Oh, no! Oh, I'm so, so sorry!" The young woman dropped to her knees and began gathering the scattered papers that had fallen onto the hard floor.

"It's no problem, really," Mac replied in his calm, easy voice. He followed the womans example and began collecting the papers. "They're new cases - in no order whatsoever," he assured her. When they had managed to re-stack the pile, Mac held his hand out to help the young woman up. "Mac Taylor," he told her.

"Oh. Oh, this really isn't going well. Excuse me." And as Mac watched, through dark eyes set with confusion, she turned on her heel and left, through the glass doors of the reception, leaving her crumpled, material bag at his feet. His eyes widened when, as he continued looking, she re-entered the building, a large smile plastered on her face.

"Hello. I'm Lindsay Monroe, your new Detective from Montana?"

The only flaw in her near perfect performance of self assurance was, as she saw a grin appearing on Mac's face, her statement quickly turned to a question.

"Shall I just leave now?" she muttered, her expressive eyebrows slanting sadly.

"No, no please, follow me," he told her, smiling as he re-called what he had just witnessed. "We'll sort your badge out, then you can meet the rest of the team." he told her, and he began walking at a brisk pace to his office.

Being only 5'3, Lindsay had to hurry to catch up. She was fiddling around in her bag, in a near pointless attempt to find something. "Oh! I'm sorry!" she murmured as she stumbled into a Lab Tech.

Mac stopped suddenly as he reached his office, and Lindsay eventually managed to pull out a crumpled piece of paper. "Uh, this is another letter of recommendation from my old supervisor. He said he'd put in details about how to manage me .. but I'm not sure if he was just joking ..." Lindsay's eyebrows knotted together, and she bit her lip worriedly as she saw Mac had stopped, and was waiting to speak.

"You'll have to see Don Flack, at NYPD to get your gun and licence, but here's your badge. If you follow the signs for the DNA lab, you'll find a man named Adam. He'll fill you in on our current case."

A huge grin lit Lindsay's face as she accepted her badge, and before Mac was aware of what had happened, she had stepped forward and hugged Mac quickly. "Thank you, Sir," she breathed a huge sigh of relief and left the office.

"Oh, and Lindsay?" Mac called after her. "Welcome to New York." He smiled as she left. He was already fond of the quirky girl from Montana.

Turning to his desk he quickly scanned the battered piece of paper.

"_Intuitive ... great instincts ... will follow a case all the way through ... eager ... teamwork ... loyalty ..."_

Mac nodded. He had definitely made the right choice.

* * *

"Oh, Danny, what happened!" Jessica Angell's surprised cry echoed around the apartment. She moved quickly, helping him move forward, slinging his arm around her shoulders slight. She led him into the lounge, slowly and steadily and let him fall to the couch, wrinkling her nose against the stench emanating from him.

"Well?"

Jess turned to Flack, her eyebrow raised, her expression clearly demanding an answer.

"I found him like this in his apartment. About 7 days worth of beer surrounding him, and smelling like he had gone 7 days _without_ a shower," Flack replied disgustedly. "I swear Jess ..." he stopped, not trusting himself with what he had been about to say. "I brought him here cos' he needs sorting out .. I need you to help me with him."

Jess nodded, biting her lip. "We all knew this was going to be hard on him."

Flack nodded. "But he can't let it beat him like this. I'm going to make him shower, shave, get a good meal down him and a good nights sleep. I'll take him into work tomorrow." he paused, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "After all, he don't want to make a bad impression on the newbie. I heard she's pretty dang fine," he aimed a teasing wink in Jess' direction before pulling Danny to him feet. "Now Danno ... what d'you say to a nice, freezing cold shower, huh?"

Jess watched the two men's retreating figures, a frown creasing her porcelain forehead.

* * *

"Hey, Sid, Adam said you had a lead on our hit and run case."

"Which one?" Sid asked, sadness colouring his tone. "I have five at moment. No witnesses, no culprits. All under 25." He un-hooked his glasses and leant against one of the steel table's where the dead spoke to him.

"Uh, I'm sorry Sid. This is the 16 year old girl." Stella told him, breathing heavily through her mouth in an attempt to block the stench of disinfectant from her nose. It was making her feel queasy.

"Oh, the one found at 1:00 am the morning. On the street? What's a young thing like this doing out at that time anyway?"

Stella shrugged, not trusting herself to speak. She watched as Sid pulled one of the trays out, and a slight body covered in a white sheet emerged. He gently pulled the cloth down.

"This was a definite killing - that's why the culprit didn't stay. It was heartless and cruel. After she had been struck down, the bastard reversed. Distinct tyre treads - I've given them to Adam, but this is what I wanted you for. This girl was pregn-" Sid was cut short as Stella retched and darted to the large, stainless steel basins. She retched a few times before emerging, her face ashen.

"Sorry Sid, I can't do this," she told him, turning on her heel and slamming out the door.

"Sometimes I feel the same," he murmured, his gaze returning to the lifeless body of the young girl. "I feel the same."

**Preview - What will the rest of the team make of the new girl? How will Stella cope with the case? And why does Mac get the feeling he's being followed?**


End file.
